New contests added to National Tom Sawyer Days

Saturday

Jun 29, 2013 at 12:01 AM

A baby contest, followed by the Junior Queen and Mr. Hannibal contest, will begin at 9 a.m. today, June 29, at Hannibal Middle School. This is the first event on the Hannibal Jaycees’ 58th National Tom Sawyer Days (NTSD) schedule.

Bev Darrbev.darr@courierpost.com

A baby contest, followed by the Junior Queen and Mr. Hannibal contest, will begin at 9 a.m. today, June 29, at Hannibal Middle School. This is the first event on the Hannibal Jaycees’ 58th National Tom Sawyer Days (NTSD) schedule.Jaycees’ contests and programs, along with events sponsored by other clubs and organizations, are scheduled Wednesday, July 3, through Sunday, July 7. Many are at the Jaycees’ new permanent event location at 320 S. Third St. (Lyon and South Third).Several new contests have been added this year. One is a “husband calling contest” at 9:30 p.m. July 3 at Tanyard Gardens. Rhonda Stevenson, NTSD co-chairperson with Jennifer Foster and Bryan Hammock, explained this is a popular state fair event. Wives are invited to “get on stage and holler at your husband about not doing his chores - or you can talk about him being the most fabulous husband ever.” Also new this year is Aunt Polly’s Tom Calling and Pie Judging contest, at noon July 5 at Tanyard Gardens. The pie bakers may register at 11:30 a.m. Main events include the Fourth of July parade at 10 a.m. Thursday, after registration at 9 a.m. Candace Miller, parade chairperson, on Friday already had 29 parade entries, and she expected many more. “Most people will sign up that morning. We have a lot of new entries,” she said. The entry fee is $10 until July 1, or $15. Plaques will be awarded to three winners of the parade contest, for floats “pertaining to the theme, ‘It’s hotter than a firecracker,’” Miller said. The parade will be followed by announcement of the new Tom and Becky at noon in Central Park. Finalists are Keaton Bartz, John Fowler, Cooper Lewis, Nathan Lewton, Ayden Nichols, Emilee Carleton, Olivia Clark, Hannah Laws, Shelbie Mays and Ashlyn Nichols. Lucas Kline and Brooke Burton are the retiring Tom and Becky.The July 4 fireworks display will be at dusk on the riverfront. The rain date is July 5. This year the fireworks will be provided by the Hannibal Community Promotions Group, a new not-for-profit organization that has raised the needed funds.One popular event is the Hannibal Cannibal, 5/10/15K run and 5K walk. It will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday, July 6, at the Tom and Huck statue on North Main Street, followed by the Fun Run for children 10 and under at 9 a.m. Online registration is at hannibalcannibal.com. For more details call the Hannibal Regional Hospital Foundation at (573) 629-3577. Pre-registration will be from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 5 or 5:30 a.m. until race time at 7 a.m. July 6.The 34th annual mud volleyball tournament at Hill and Front streets, will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 4, and continue through Sunday, July 7, with 64 teams competing.Four fence painting contests will be on North Main Street at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home. Boys ages 10 to 13 may compete, and adults may compete in the Over 30 contest. The local contest, then the Over 30 event, will begin at 4 p.m. July 4. The state contest will be at 4 p.m. July 5 and the national contest at 4 p.m. July 6. The 2012 national fence painting champion is Keaton Bartz of Hannibal (a finalist in the Tom contest this year).The Kiwanis Club of Hannibal will sponsor its 37th annual Samuel L. Clemens Arts & Crafts Festival in Central Park on July 4 through 6. On July 6 at 4 p.m. the club will have its raffle drawing for a “cash, car or mule” grand prize. Raffle tickets are $20 or three for $50 and may be ordered by mailing a check with a name, address and phone number to the Kiwanis Club, Box 567, Hannibal, Mo. 63401, according to Bill Webber, event chairman.The frog jump on July 6 will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Third and Church, after an hour of registration. Frogs will be available for rent for a $3 donation, provided by the Boy Scout Troop 100, sponsor of the contest.Also on July 6 at the same location will be the tricycle and Big Wheel races for children age 3 to 6, with registration at 10:30 a.m. and races at 11 a.m. Prizes will go to the top three winners in eight categories. No chain drives on tricycles are permitted.This parking lot will also be the location of Jaycee contests including the backseat drivers, Tom and Becky Relay and Mighty “Miss” Raft Race,The pet show will be at 1 p.m. July 3 in Central Park, after noon registration.The Tomboy Sawyer contest will be on the old bridge approach on July 6 with registration at 10 a.m. and the contests at 10:30 a.m.The carnival will be open July 4 through July 6 at Lyon and Main streets.A Jaycees’ contest brought back by popular request is Hannibal’s Got Talent, according to Hammock. Registration will be at 1:30 p.m. on July 4 with the contest at 2 p.m. at Tanyard Gardens. Two winners in each age groups will receive prizes. Age divisions are 0-8, 9-15, 16-21 and 22 and older. For information call Foster at (573) 231-2630.Also new this year is entertainment by Jay the Balloon Dude and Master Magician at noon July 6 at Tanyard Gardens. Stevenson said “he can make anything. I watched him make a bicycle once.” From 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. the Jaycees will host a Fourth of July House Party at Tanyard Gardens with the Hannibal Jaycees DJs, also known as the Nerds, in charge. They are Chris Miller, Glen Irick, Bryan hammock and Chris Powell. Also on July 4, Brian Madrid, a hypnotist, will perform at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Tanyard Gardens.Tanyard Gardens will have band concerts beginning July 3 with Further Ado.Hammock said another new event is Ladies Night on July 5 at Tanyard Gardens. Mad Hoss Jackson will be the band that night. The July 6 band will be Blackjack Billy.One event could be cancelled by high water. This is the horseshoe tournament, scheduled at Ringer Park near Bear Creek with qualifying at 9 a.m. July 6 and contests at 9 a.m. July 7. Dave Myers, chairman, said the decision will be made later, depending on the water level. “If the water is up, we will not have it.”More NTSD information is on the website hannibaljaycees.org.